From: eponine119 Date: Wed, 11 Oct 1995 17:56:03 -0700 Subject: new:glimpse Hi. This is my first post, my first XF story. I've only been watching 5 weeks. Any comments are heartily welcomed. Disclaimer: Chris Carter and 10-13 Productions own these characters, not me. I don't mean to make anyone mad, I just want to borrow them for a little while. Glimpse by eponine119 eponine@uci.edu Something strange was going on. And that wasn't at all unusual. It was subtle, though, and that was what made it different. No flashing lights and warning sirens; no one holding him at gunpoint. Everything was exactly the same yet strangely different. It had been troubling Fox Mulder since he'd awakened early that morning, unable to return to sleep. He thought back to the latest case he'd been assigned to. As usual, no one was out and out admitting or even telling anything. But odd things were definitely happening. Without actually being told, they were informed that what they were dealing with were shifts in reality. Scully had of course immediately dismissed it as unproven nonsense, but Mulder wasn't so quick to discount it. Especially not not, sitting alone in his office listening to the hand move on the clock with that uneasy feeling in his stomach and his shoulders tense. 10:01, he thought. Scully was going to be late. The door opened and Mulder was out of his chair in a heartbeat. "What's happened?" he asked. Scully blinked reddened eyes at him. "You know what's happened," she said to him, contempt clear and strong in her tone, her stance. Mulder didn't move, not knowing what to do or say. His normally logical partner looked like she was about to hit him. "Scully," he said and stopped, not knowing how to continue. He watched, amazed, as she turned swiftly and left. By the time he followed her, astonished, into the hall, she was gone. He looked around, searching for an answer, but everyone avoided his eyes. "what's going on here?" he demanded. "Maybe you should try going home," someone offered. Not helpful. Home? He'd just been home. He went back into his office and moved about restlessly, trying to make sense of Scully's behavior. For the first time he noticed the framed pictures on his desk. He lifted one to look more closely at it and sank slowly into his chair, the hand holding the photograph remaining level. He'd never seen it before, could not fathom what it was doing there. It was a wedding picture. His own. Slowly, dreading, his gaze shifted to the other photo on the desk. Dear God. Children. Two of them. Snapping instantly from his reverie, he crossed the room to the computer, abusing its keyboard with his quick typing. Satisfied, he turned it off. It was time to go home. But first he'd had to find out where that was. His mind was still numb when he found the unfamiliar key on his ring and opened the door to the two story white house. Everything was almost vaguely familiar, like something he'd seen in a dream once and then forgotten. He walked though the house and found her sitting in the kitchen. Before he could form the words to ask, to tell her what was going on, she'd risen from her chair to face him. "Things can't continue like this, Fox." she informed him, and she seemed subdued. Defeated. "Like..what?" he managed to say, though with all he had in him, he longed to shout, what the hell is going on here? She scoffed at his question, looking down at the ring she wore on her finger. His eyes followed hers there. Wedding ring. He felt sick. Slowly the fingers of her other hand worked the ring off. She took his hand in her cool, smooth one and looked into his eyes. "I want a divorce," she said and walked out of the room. The words crushed him. He didn't know why. They were only partners, weren't they? He looked down at the ring, feeling guilty for crimes he was sure he hadn't comitted. It was exactly the sort of ring he would have chosen for her, he thought idly: simple, classy, elegant. Realizing his thoughts, he put the ring in his pocket, out of sight. He paced around the small kitchen, looking inside himself for answers. He knew this wasn't real. He could not forget something like this. But his mind was blank on the issue of an explanation or a solution. The blinking light of the answering machine caught his eye. Relief and recognition flooded his body momentarily. It was his answering machine. His. Familiar. He jabbed the playback button with his finger. "Hello, Fox. It's me. Happy birthday, my favorite brother." The voice. Her voice. The blood rushed out of his head and he though he would faint as he fought desperately to shut off the message. Samatha. His hands shook. She was alive in this crazy reality. He tore through the house looking for Scully. He had to know. Mulder found her kneeling next to the dresser in a bedroom that evoked no memories in him. He had to be losing his mind. She looked up at him, disinterested, as he burst into the room. "Samantha -" he began, out of breath. "Yes. She called. Yesterday." Scully looked at him closely for a moment, then turned away. He remained, shocked at the hurt he saw but knew he hadn't caused. "What can I do?" he asked, feeling oddly desperate. "there is nothing anymore." she said. "You're leaving." "Yes." She closed the suitcase and stood. "Goodbye, Fox." She walked out past him. His mouth dry, his mind racing, he could only watch and wonder why it felt like his heart was breaking. He stumbled through the unfamiliar rooms, gathering speed and strength as he moved. He heard the car pull out of the driveway as he tore into the cabinet below the television, driven. The hours dissolved as he sat entranced, watching himself on videotape in situations where he knew he'd never been. A wedding. To Scully, a beautiful bride. Surprisingly, the tears didn't come when he saw Samantha on the tape, alive and grown and lovely. The tears came when he saw the children on video. His children? His and Scully's. It was unfathomable. The door opened. His eyes came into sharp focus. there was Scully, apologetic, her eyes darting past him to the home videos on the screen. "You're back," he said. Inadequate. Something in her softened toward him, her careful defenses breaking down. "The children..." she began then stopped. Choking. "Will you stay?" he implored, taking her in his arms as though she really was his wife. She nodded. It was raining, he noticed, as they went into the bedroom together. Their lovemaking was a revelation and a homecoming. Mulder felt like he knew her better than he knew himself. And as he held her, after, he knew the answer. The alternate universe thing. Somehow he had crossed over. But then, where was the real him, the real Mulder, the one who belonged here? A flash of guilt. He'd been making love to another man's wife. Even if the other man was him. Scully got up off the bed then, scrambling, panic evident on her face. "Wait-" Mulder was afraid, instantly, he didn't know what of. "I can't - I have to go - I can't stay with you." She was still pulling on clothes as the bedroom door closed. "Oh God," moaned Mulder, sinking back and closing his eyes. Mulder opened his eyes. 10:01. As soon as he realized he was staring at the clock in his office, he rose quickly out of his chair, staggering back. "What the hell...?" He couldn't help it. He reached across the desk. The pictures were gone. The door opened. Scully entered, setting a steaming cup of coffee on his desk, followed by a thick file folder of paperwork. He realized she was looking at him expectantly. "I got you some coffee." she said, in case he hadn't noticed. "Are you all right? You seem strange - I know it was a late night last night..." she continued to look at him, blue eyes searching. Mulder's heart rate returned to almost normal. He may have seen the future, or an alternate to now, but everything was back to normal. He took a deep breath. Maybe he'd simply dozed, he thought, knowing that would be what she would say if he told her. But he knew what he believed. "Dana?" Her eyebrows raised, surprised at his uncommon use of her first name. "I'm sorry," he said sincerely. She shrugged, wondering what he was apologizing for. After all, they were only partners. Weren't they?